| One of the things that's often hard to
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| | used the opportunity as much as he could,
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| know is how and when to be pushy
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| | but then was completely respectful and
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| appropriately. In these hardscrabble
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| | gracious. It is also evidence that a
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| times, perfectly polite people don't
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| | letter works, especially when delivered
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| stand much of a chance of getting what
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| | under unique circumstances. Designer
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| they want. However, not enough can be
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| | Michael Kors was a store clerk, he sold
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| said for making yourself known in a
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| | Calvin Klein a ski jacket, and stuffed
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| decent and unobnoxious manner. The key is
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| | his design sketches into the sleeve as
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| to use your intuition and your brain,
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| | the jacket was en route to delivery. A
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| both at the same time, and pray for a
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| | documentary film director I know who
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| little luck.
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| | needed a quote from a famous director to
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| When Lazaro Hernandez was a fashion
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| | help her get grants pulled a similar
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| student at Parson's School of Design in
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| | coup. She found out where Woody Allen
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| New York, he had a chance encounter in an
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| | lived, then had a copy of her latest film
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| airport with Anna Wintour, editor in
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| | delivered to his door with a handwritten
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| chief of Vogue Magazine. In fact, she was
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| | note requesting a favorable comment. He
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| getting on his airplane. Lazaro wasn't so
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| | obliged.
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| sure he had the nerve to approach, but
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| | Everyone has to start somewhere, even the
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| one hour into the flight, he could stand
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| | rich and famous. So if you can approach
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| it no longer.
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| | politely, preferably through some other
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| Lazaro wrote a humble note on an airsick
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| | means than the front office, your efforts
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| bag, which explained that he was a
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| | will probably not be seen as pushy but as
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| fashion student who would soon be looking
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| | what one does to get a break.
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| for an internship. He noted that she
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| | Part of the reason this works is the
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| probably got requests like this all the
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| | honesty involved. You are telling them
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| time, but wondered if perhaps someone had
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| | what you need up front. So this is very
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| given her a chance at the beginning of
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| | different than talking up a potential
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| her career. He also wrote that he knew
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| | contact at a cocktail party with the sole
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| she had the power to help him. Then,
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| | agenda of having them look at your work,
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| trembling, he approached.
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| | or hanging out a health club frequented
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| Lazaro stood before Ms. Wintour's seated
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| | by a certain star so you can add them to
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| figure, and said her name. No answer. He
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| | your list of influential friends. Those
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| repeated her name several times. No
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| | would be considered inappropriate 'covert
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| answer. He even crossed the uncrossable
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| | agenda' moves that are really looked down
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| boundary and touched her arm. Still no
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| | upon by the rich and powerful.
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| reply. Finally, he left his plea under
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| | Too often we assume that the way to
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| her martini glass and crept back to his
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| | approach an industry or a leader is from
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| seat. Several months later, he received a
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| | the bottom, worming your way up through
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| call from a major designer who'd gotten
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| | the ranks. A much more effective approach
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| Lazaro's letter from Ms. Wintour with
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| | is just to go straight to the top, where
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| instructions that it was not to be
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| | you very well may connect with the person
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| ignored. A subsequent interview proved
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| | who can make everything happen for you.
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| that he had talent, and Lazaro was hired
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| | This is why letters are such a good tool
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| for his first internship.
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| | for approaching these people. They can
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| Lazaro not only had great luck to get on
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| | read it in their own time, they're not
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| an airplane with the most powerful woman
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| | too obtrusive, and if well-written and
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| in the fashion industry, he had the savvy
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| | delivered in a subtle but
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| to make use of the opportunity. He was
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| | attention-getting way, they can work
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| ready when his break came with a
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| | wonders.
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| portfolio of samples he'd worked hard on,
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| | Important people, just like the rest of
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| making it the best it could be. Then he
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| | us, do not like to be used. On the other
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| did the most important thing of all: he
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| | hand, most people do like to be helpful,
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| sent Ms. Wintour a thank you note, which
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| | and a direct request can be amazingly
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| prompted a fax from the woman herself
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| | effective.
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| saying she was glad it all worked out.
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| | ©2004 Suzanne Falter-Barns. Reprint
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| This to me is a fine example of
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| | permission available.
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| well-handled pushiness, in that Lazaro
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|
